A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #743
hints & answers for June 23, 2025

Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.

This reference always shows June 23, 2025. It is released in at least one timezone; every answer stays closed until you reveal it.

Which group has you stuck?

Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.

Yellow group

Straightforward

1/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, F, M and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BOYFRIEND belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KINDS OF JEANS

Reveal all four words
  • BOYFRIEND
  • FLARE
  • MOM
  • SKINNY

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with H, L, S and Y. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

HISTORICAL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FICTION CATEGORIES

Reveal all four words
  • HISTORICAL
  • LITERARY
  • SPECULATIVE
  • YOUNG ADULT

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, F, O and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BELL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WORDS IN HEMINGWAY TITLES

Reveal all four words
  • BELL
  • FAREWELL
  • OLD MAN
  • SUN

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

COCKTAIL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ GLASS GLASSWARE

Reveal all four words
  • COCKTAIL
  • COLLINS
  • OLD FASHIONED
  • SHOT

Each entry comes before "GLASS GLASSWARE" to form a word, expression or name: COCKTAIL → COCKTAIL GLASS GLASSWARE; COLLINS → COLLINS GLASS GLASSWARE; OLD FASHIONED → OLD FASHIONED GLASS GLASSWARE; SHOT → SHOT GLASS GLASSWARE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: KINDS OF JEANS
  • Green: FICTION CATEGORIES
  • Blue: WORDS IN HEMINGWAY TITLES
  • Purple: ___ GLASS GLASSWARE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

KINDS OF JEANS

BOYFRIEND · FLARE · MOM · SKINNY

Green

FICTION CATEGORIES

HISTORICAL · LITERARY · SPECULATIVE · YOUNG ADULT

Blue

WORDS IN HEMINGWAY TITLES

BELL · FAREWELL · OLD MAN · SUN

Purple

___ GLASS GLASSWARE

COCKTAIL · COLLINS · OLD FASHIONED · SHOT

This puzzle’s recorded solution

The date and puzzle number identify this exact board. Use the individual group controls to compare its recorded categories and words, then return to the archive to find another puzzle.

About the answers and hints

Categories and answers follow the recorded NYT puzzle. Our hints are independent: some are original category clues, while others give the first letters of the four words. Each hint is labelled so you can choose how much help to take.

Group colours follow the puzzle’s yellow, green, blue and purple order, from the most straightforward to the trickiest. Your own experience may differ. The reference tiles may appear in a different order from your game. Picture puzzles have separately hidden descriptions, since a description can give away the wordplay.

The daily page starts with the UTC puzzle date and, with JavaScript enabled, checks the puzzle for your local time zone. Every reveal starts closed when the date changes. Play Connections at The New York Times or contact us about a correction.